Which came First?

[gubba]

Today, it occured to me that I feel sick at some point daily and I can't decide if I actually feel sick, or if since I'm and EMET, I fear that I will be sick, so I worry myself till I do feel sick. Now, my question is, since so many of us do feel sick daily, and we have nothing really wrong, can we actually know if we really do feel sick, or if it is stress from worry about being sick?

[lilyann]

Hi Gubba-I'm new here, but have been an emet for at least 15 years. I don't remember feeling sick daily. It's only happened when I actually encounter people v* or with an sv. However, last month my husband and son both came down with the dreaded sv and after that happened I've been obsessing about it ever since. Whenever I think about it, which is several times a day, I start feeling sick. I know it's definitely in my head. I don't know how to stop thinking about it. I don't remember my emet affecting me for this long before. This really sucks!

[christina28]

I usually try distracting myself, like going for a walk, getting fresh airor listening to music, watching ashow that makes me laughor even singing!! singing helps me ...and if i feel better, which i always do, i figure that I'm bringing it on myself. I also reassure myself that I'm probably not sick, since I haven't been around anyone who is sick and i don't get sick that much anyway. My mom also told me that getting a fever or having a stomachache doesn'tautomatically mean you're going to throw up (that's something I forget a lot). Also, maybe try to keep track of your anxiety and panicsymptoms, and when you feel them just tell yourself that you're anxious. I know that I get really cold when I'm getting a fever too, so when i'm feeling anxious, i realize that i'm not cold, and i know i'm not sick!


Another thing I've realized is that anxiety and real n* are feelings that are so distinct from each other (at least for me)!! I was on birth control that made me n* a couple of times, and whenit happened it came on right away with sharp stomach pains and extreme dizzinessand i felt like I would pass out if I didn't sit down quickly. There was no mistaking being n* for real...real n* feels soooo much different than anxiety and panic.


I hope that helps a little!

[meercat]

That's a great question Gubba! One i have wondered myself at one time. But i have learned, and i really do believe if it weren't for our fear and anxiety, we wouldn't feel sick like we do. I'm like you, i can feel sick on a daily basis if i allow myself. But i try to ignore it and fight off this friggin phobia, and sometimes when i do that, i can actually go through a time of not feeling sick for days or weeks at a time! But once i let myself really THINK about it...THERE it comes...the sick nauseaus feeling that we all love so much <~~sarcasm of course hehe!

Oh i'm sure once in a blue moon, we may eat something or have a cold or bug, that legitimately makes us feel sick, but for the everday kind (like most of us have), it's ALL nerves, anxiety, and stress that causes it!! Yep, it SUCKS bigtime!! Maybe once you realize that ppl JUST DON'T normally feel sick on a dialy basis, that'll make you realize also that what you're feeling is something you are bringing on yourSELF!! That may be just enough for you to fight it and ignore it, and just live that day the way you WANTED to...and in time you'll see how easy it was and how happy you were for doing what you really wanted to do without that "sick" feeling! [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

Paula

[gubba]

I do realize that people don't feel sick daily and I know that I should not, but you know, I don't have a problem with panic attacks and I don't shut myself in and I do eat at restaurants and I keep going like a regular person, but I do often wonder which came first...

[meercat]

Oh ok...i am happy to know you DO live a normal (not shut-in) life. Cuz you know there are ppl on here who can't do the things you mentioned doing on a daily basis..so i wasn't sure :-)

I still feel that it's the EMET we have, that makes us feel sick everyday...not us really being sick.

Anxiety attacks or no anxiety attacks...our nerves can MAKE us feel sick, without us feeling the slightest bit nervous or anxious.

You and I should know this better than most on here, we're 2 of the...ahem (clearing my throat)..."older" emets on here LOL!!

[gubba]

I was thinking the other day about how young everyone here is. I wish I had known when I was in my teens or twenties or thirties for that matter that this was not just something I suffered with alone, although, I really do go on with a normal life but I am constantly thinking about people around me V*ing or me catching something or my son V8ing or catching something. He and my husband are going to CA tomorrow and I am home to take care of old dogs that can't go to the kennel. I have packed so much GERMX for the two of them that my husband decided they needed another bag for just the GERMX. I now fear them coming home with something. We all usually go to Houston, but my brother in law is leaving for Iraq in a few weeks, so everyone is going out to CA. We were all just there in June and I am not a big lover of traveling, so I figured once a year was enough and no one was able to keep our old dog.


So, yes, I do lead a normal life and I go out daily and do things and eat everything. I am a handwasher and I do make my son use those wipes on his hands a lot, but I hope he never knows what this EMET thing is and more importantly that he never has the problem